Choose the correct preposition for the blank: John, do you remember Mary? She is an old friend......... school times.

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:

When we speak about a relationship or a connection that originated from a specific time or place, we often use the preposition "of" to introduce the source or context of that relationship. The phrase "an old friend of" is a standard and idiomatic construction in English, where "of" indicates the origin or category of the friendship—in this case, the time when the speaker and Mary became friends, which was during their "school times." Therefore, "She is an old friend of school times" means their friendship stems from or is characterized by that period. This usage helps to qualify the noun "friend," linking it directly to the period during which the friendship was formed.

The incorrect option is 1 (from): "From" is typically used to denote separation or a starting point in time or space. While you might say "I've known her from school days," the construction "old friend from school times" is less common and less idiomatic than "old friend of school times" in this specific structure.

The incorrect option is 2 (to): "To" generally indicates movement toward a destination, a recipient, or a time limit. It does not fit the context of establishing the origin or context of a friendship as described here.

The incorrect option is 4 (in): "In" is commonly used to indicate a location or a period of time (e.g., "in school," "in the summer"). While "in" might work if the sentence structure was slightly different (e.g., "She was my friend in school"), placing it directly after "old friend" in this phrasing makes the sentence grammatically awkward and non-idiomatic.